Platyarthrus

Brandt, 1833

Platyarthrus is a of small, blind comprising over 30 described . Members are obligate myrmecophiles, living almost exclusively within nests. The genus exhibits female-biased sex ratios in small . Body size in at least some species is dependent on ant species.

Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii (Platyarthridae), Arnhem, the Netherlands by

This image is created by user B. Schoenmakers at Waarneming.nl, a source of nature observations in the Netherlands.
. Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii 3 by Stephan Kleinfelder. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii by Dansk naturhistorisk forening. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Platyarthrus: /ˌplæt.iˈɑr.θrəs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Habitat

nests; semi-arid to arid bioclimatic regions in some

Distribution

Palearctic region including Tunisia, Hungary, and Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden)

Host Associations

ants - myrmecophileobligate association; lives almost solely in nests
Lasius flavus - specific for P. hoffmannseggi in studied
seven ant species - recorded for P. monastirensis; not specified

Life Cycle

Two distinct size/age observed in , suggesting overlapping

Behavior

Movement among colonies appears extremely limited; individuals show reduced in foreign colonies

Ecological Role

Nutritionally linked to ; specific role within ant nests not fully characterized

More Details

Sex Ratio Dynamics

Female-biased sex ratios are common in small, isolated . Female-biased populations tend to produce relatively more females and fewer males in subsequent compared to populations with balanced sex ratios. No correlation exists between degree of female and population growth rate.

Host-Dependent Morphology

Body size in P. hoffmannseggii varies depending on , indicating plasticity in response to different host environments.